Electric signal for railways



(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G. A. TOWER. ELEGTRIO SIGNAL FOR RAILWAYS.

2 SheetsPSheetv 2.

(No Model.)

G. A. TOWER.

- ELECTRIC SIGNAL FOR RAILWAYS.

1 llllllllllllllfll UNITED STATES GEORGE ARMES TOWER,

ELECTRIC SIGNA OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

L FOR RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 436,025, datedSeptember 9, 1890.

Application filed June 11, 1889.

v lowing is a specification.

The invention relates to electric signals for railways.

The object of the invention is to provide a signal designed to beemployed upon railways at dangerous plaees such as curves, steep grades,bridges, and the like-where there is a liability of accident, andcapable of indicating to an approaching train the condition of the roadand the presence of another train and the direction in which the latteris going.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, and illustrated in theaccompaning drawings.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view showing the applicationof the signal to a railroad. Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of thesignal-operating mechanism. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same,partly in section. Fig. 4 is a side elevation, partly in section, of acircuit closer designed to be operated by a locomotive.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, A designates the signal box orhouse, which is mounted upon the top of a pole and has its fioorextendedto provide a platform a, upon which is secured a stationary base oroil-tank b of a lantern B.

The signal-operating mechanism is actlr ated by a weight 0, which isattached to a cord 0, that passes over guide-pulley a j ournaled in asuitable bracket fixed to the rear side of the box A. The cord 0 entersthe box A through a perforation and is wound around the upper portion ofa winding-shaft D, that carries a cog-wheel E, that projects through aslot a in the front of the box A and gears with a cog-rim 17 around thelower end of the lantern-frame b which is capable of rotation, wherebywhen the shaft D, which is normally held against rotation, is released,the weight 3 will actuate it and cause the lantern-frame b to be turnedto present a different signal. The movable lantern-frame b is providedwith circular openings b, which are arranged upon Serial No. 313,857.(No model.)

opposite sides of the frame and contain different-colored lenses,preferably white and red, and the cog-rim Z) and the cog-wheel E are ofthe same size, whereby the signals will be reversed at everyhalf-rotation of the shaft. The base 1) of the lantern and the burnerremains stationary, and the frame 19 which turns upon the base I) andincloses the light, is provided at its top with a diamond-shaped piece Iwhich is constructed of sheet-iron and is paintedwhite and red tocorrespond to the color of the lenses and to exhibit the signals by day.The sheet-iron signal F is attached to the top of the lantern B by meansof a short rod f, which is journaled in suitable bearings a formed atthe front of a projection a of the top of the box A. The upper end ofthe rod is flattened and enlarged and the sheetiron signal is riveted orsimilarly secured thereto.

The shaft D is provided with a small wheel G, which has upon its upperface lugs g, situated at diametrically-opposite points and designed tobe engaged by a detent-lever H to prevent the rotation of the shaft D.The lever H is pivoted in the upper bifurcated end i of a rod I, whichhas an enlarged base i, by means of which it is secured to the floor Soof the box A, and which is provided with an arm 4 extending outlaterally in the direction of the long arm of the lever H. The arm icarries aspiral spring J, which is secured thereto and bears against theunder side of the lever H and holds the detent h normally in engagementwith one of the lugs g. The end h of the lever has secured to its underside a soft-iron armature K, which is designed to be attracted by anelectro-magnet K to 0 disengage the detent h from the lug g to allow theshaft D to make a half-revolution to reverse the signals, the detentdropping again in time to engage the other lug g and prevent furtherrotation. The wires L and L leave the coils of the electro magnet K inopposite directions, and are carried along on telegraph-poles a suitabledistance, and are run to circuit-closers M, arranged upon the side ofthe track, and are designed to be operated by passing trains. Inpractice the batteries (not shown) are arranged within the box A.

The circuit-eloser M consists of a rectangular iron casing m, having apush-plate m hinged to one of its sides and held normally elevated by aspring m which is-secured to the bottom of the casing m by screws, toone of which is attached a return-wire L forming a part of the circuit.The wireL is connected to one of the screws that secure the short springm to the casing m, and the spring is separated from the bottom of thecasing by block m of insulating material, and is normally out of contactwith the push-plate or the spring m which holds the push-platemelevated. The push-plate m is triangular in longitudinal section, andthe inclined sides are engaged by arms N, which are pivoted to the sidesof the cow-catcher of an engine and swing between the two projections 02and n. The arm N hangs vertically against the projection n, and when thetrain is running forward the arm on one side will depress thepush-plate, complete the circuit, and reverse the signals; but when thetrain is backing that arm will swing to the projection n and will notdepress the push-plate. The action of the arm N on the other side isreversed. A similar circuitcloser is arranged on the other side of thesignal-box A, and when the train passes it the signals are againreversed, leaving them in their original position. The arms A areprovided at their lower ends with wheels 97. to facilitate their passageover the push-plates m.

The signals are arranged at suitable intervals between stations, atjunctions, curves, crossings, steep grades, bridges, and similar placeswhere accidents are liable, and, as readily understood, they willindicate the presence of trains and the directions in which they aretraveling.

From the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings theconstruction, operation, and advantages of the invention will readily beunderstood.

What I claim is 1. The combination of the box A, the lantern having astationary base and a frame revolving upon the same and provided withthe cog-rim, the winding-shaft actuated by a weight, the cog-wheelmounted upon the shaft and meshing with the cog-rim, the wheel G, fixedto the shaft and provided with lugs arranged diametrically opposite eachother, and the detent-lever engaging said lugs, substantially asdescribed.

2. The combination of the box, the lantern having the revolving frameprovided at its top with the sheet-metal signal and at its bottom withthe cog-rim, the shaft actuated by a weight, the cog-wheel mounted uponsaid shaft and of the same size as the cog-rim with which it meshes, thewheel G, provided with lugs, and the detent-lever engaging said lugs,substantially as described.

3. The combination of the hon, the lantern having the revolving frameprovided with the cog-rim, the winding-shaft actuated by a weight, thecog-wheel E, the wheel G, having the lugs g, the rod I, having an arm7?, the detent-lever pivoted to the upper end of the rod and carryingthe armature K, a spring secured to the arm 2' and bearing against thelever and holding it in engagement with the lugs g, and theelectro-magnet K, adapted to withdraw said lever from engagement withsaid lugs, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afiixedmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE A'RMES TOWER.

Witnesses:

II. F. RILEY,

JOHN II. SIGGERS.

